Simple Gifts
by SoraIsMyHomeboy
Summary: Christmas is always a special time, a time to tell those you love just how much you really love them. That's why Sora is out searching for the perfect gift for the one he loves most. SoKai. Short story for the purpose of adorableness:


This is another KH Xmas fic that I wrote last year but didn't post because I didn't have an account before Xmas came. But anyway, this one is based on a cute story that I heard from our priest. I don't actually know where it's originally from, but you may recognize it. Anyway, enjoy and have happy holdiays!

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><p>Christmas only comes around once a year. It's the one chance to tell someone how much you care. So that's why Sora was out looking for the perfect gift for Kairi. He had looked through countless shops on countless worlds but he couldn't find something special enough. He simly couldn't think of anything that would be just right for her.<p>

As he was walking through the streets, heading for his gummi ship, he spotted something in a store window. It was a golden hair pin shaped like a water lily. The pin had intricate twists on the stem and detailed markings on each individual petal. It was beautiful, just like her. He had to get it. He entered the shop and walked over to the cashier.

"How much is that hair pin in the window?" he asked.

"3000 munny," the clerk replied. Sora's eyes bugged out. He didn't have nearly enough. It was awfully nice, but he didn't think it would be that expensive. Sadly, Christmas was only a few days away. If he had thought about shopping earlier, he may have had time to earn some more munny before it was too late.

_Typical of me to procrastinate, _he muttered in his head. But he knew no other gift would do. He thought for a minute about how he could get some more munny quickly. Then he had an idea. He unlatched his crown necklace and set it on the cashier's desk.

"How much would you pay for this?" he wondered. He loved his necklace. He had had it his whole life and wore it everywhere he went, but Kairi meant the world to him and she was more important than some old piece of metal. The cashier examined it thoroughly.

"Well, this is probably worth about 2100…" he concluded. "…But it's Christmastime. I suppose I can give you 2400."

"Really?" exclaimed Sora, pulling the rest of the munny he owed out of his pocket. "You have a deal!"

He paid the man, thanked him at least five times, and ran out the door with gift in hand. He was so happy and excited to give Kairi his present. He was slightly sad about the loss of his necklace, but he knew Kairi would love the hair pin. He quickly drove home to wrap it.

Around Christmas Day, Sora didn't really get to see Riku and Kairi much. Everyone hung out with their families around this time, which Sora was perfectly happy with. He helped his mom decorate the living room and set up the tree. His anticipation kept growing as the days went on; tomorrow night is when he and Kairi had planned to get together. He couldn't wait to see her.

Christmas Eve dragged on. He sat around, watching the clock all day. After dinner, he would dash over to Kairi's house as fast as he could.

"Sora, don't you have something better to do?" asked his mom, watching him lounge about on the couch. "Why don't you bake some cookies or shovel the pathway or something? It'll help time go by."

Sora sighed. She was right. Time practically halts when you aren't doing anything. He got up and went into the kitchen. For the next few hours, he helped his mom make gingerbread men. Finally, at long last, evening came. Sora wolfed down his dinner and grabbed the small box with the pin inside.

"Thanks for dinner, Mom!" he yelled, running out the door. "I'll see you later tonight!"

"Have fun!" she called after him, but he was already down the street. She chuckled. "Kids…."

In less than a minute, Sora was at Kairi's door, panting and beaming like a kid in a candy store. Steadying himself, he knocked on the door. After a few moments, Kairi opened the door.

"Merry Christmas, Sora!" she cried happily, giving him a Christmas hug. He wanted to hug back, but he was too shocked. She had cut her hair. It was now the same length it had been a few years ago. It only hung to the middle of her ears.

"Is something wrong?" she questioned, seeing his blank expression.

"Huh? No, I just, um…nothing, never mind," he stuttered, glancing down at the box he was holding. The pin was useless now. Her hair was too short to use it.

"Well, come in!" she smiled, walking inside. He followed her and took a seat in the living room.

"Is that for me?" she grinned, eyeing the present Sora was holding.

"Yeah…" he sighed disappointedly. All the excitement of giving her his gift had gone away now. She pulled a small box out from under their tree and handed it to him.

"Well, this one's for you!" she exclaimed, handing it over. He reluctantly gave her the box with the pin.

"We'll open them together, ok? Ready? Go!" she called, and they both ripped the paper off of their packages and opened the boxes. They both froze. Kairi ran her finger across the pin's smooth surface.

"This is beautiful…" she commented. "But…my hair…I'm sorry, I didn't know. I…I only cut it so I could sell it. I didn't have enough for your gift."

Sora took his gift out of the box. It was a shimmering silver chain with links that were shaped like thalassa shells. He swallowed hard when he realized what it was for.

"This…this is another chain to put my crown charm on, isn't it?" he gulped.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I thought of you when I saw it."

"Kairi…I sold my crown necklace so I could buy that hair pin…"

They both just stared at each other as they understood that both of their gifts were useless now. As they looked down at the presents, their beautiful heartfelt presents that were purchased only with the thought of each other in mind, neither person knew what to say. Finally, a smile grew on Sora's face.

"It's OK," he started. "The only reason we gave up so much was because we wanted to tell each other how much we cared, right? And that's what we did. We may not be able to use the things we gave each other, but the thought is what counts. We both wanted to say 'I love you.' So we're each other's gifts. All I want for Christmas is to be with you, so as long as we're together, nothing else matters."

He took her hand in his. Kairi smiled, tears forming in her eyes.

"Sora, that's beautiful…" she murmured. "I love you."

She wrapped her arms around him and they shared a long heartfelt hug, watching the snow fall outside. They would always remember this Christmas as the year they received the greatest gift of all. It wasn't the pin or the chain. No, in the end, it's the simple gifts that matter. The simplest and most beautiful gift that two people can ever have or give is the gift that these two received on that Christmas Eve: each other.


End file.
